LABYRINTH | Scarlett Johansson x Daughter

15 | medicine.

"Kenzie, baby, you've got to sit up for a few seconds," I gently coax my very unwell daughter as she's in a half asleep state on my couch. It took minimal persuading to get her to come stay with me until her parents are home. I think primarily due to the fact that she didn't have the energy to convince me she'd be fine on her own, but either way I'm glad she's here where I know she has someone looking after her.

"I don't want it. It smells gross," she whines, referring to the cough medicine in my hand.

"I know, honey, but it will help you feel better."

"I feel fine."

"When the word fine is said with a 'd' at the end of it, you're not fine. Sit up please," I order, wrapping an arm around her back to support her as she begrudgingly obeys.

"Oh," her face squirms, "that's disgusting."
I don't disagree with her statement. I'm yet to find a cough syrup that tastes good.

I pass her a bottle of water to wash it down before she gets herself comfortable once again by laying her head back down on the swarm of couch pillows and pulling a knitted blanket over her body. She originally had a heavy throw blanket but I had to take it off her because of the fever she's running.

"Do you think you'll be able to stomach any food yet?" I ask, rubbing a firm hand her arm.
She shakes her head.

"I hate feeling like this." Her voice is hoarse as looks up at me with bloodshot eyes. I hate to say that she looks as unwell as she probably feels. Her skin is pasty, its's clear she's had no sleep, and she looks as though the moment she'd try to hold herself up, she'd fall right over.

"I know it sucks, and I wish I could make it better for you but in the meantime I'm here whatever you need," I assure her, gently brushing the loose strands of hair out of her face. Kenzie manages a small smile in response as her eyes flutter shut. "Do you want to take a nap, babe?"
"No, 'm not tired."

I don't argue the point.
In the fifteen minutes we've been home I've learnt that Kenzie is in fact very stubborn when she's not feeling well, so I let her have it.

"Okay. Would you like me to make you some tea then? I have lot's of different flavours," I offer in the hopes that she'll at least be able to get some nutrients into her stomach.
"Do you have Chai?" She asks, eyes remaining closed.
"I do. I'll be back in a few."
"Thanks," she whispers before I make my way into the kitchen to boil the kettle, only when I come back minutes later with her tea, she's fallen fast asleep.

A slight smile curls upon my mouth as I take in her peaceful state, sitting on the couch across from her and turning the volume of the tv down. Not wanting the tea to go to waste, I sip on it throughout the remainder of the episode of 'Suits'.

__

"How are you feeling now?"

"A little better. I think the eucalyptus helped clear up my nose slightly."

Kenzie woke up from her 'nap' just after six o'clock and I decided to run her a bath with eucalyptus salts, hoping it would help with her congestion. In the meantime, I got the guest room all cozy and went downstairs to check on the soup I'd started making with whatever vegetables I could find.

"That's good, sweetheart. Now, do you think you could handle having a little bit of soup? You haven't eaten anything all day and your body needs some nutrients," I explain.
"Yeah, I might be able to have just a bit. I just want to fix my hair up first," she responds, taking the towel off her head.
"Alright, I'll be in the kitchen if you're looking for me."

Several minutes later, she joins me with a hairbrush in hand and her long blonde hair damp on her neck. "I don't have the energy to braid and I hate the feeling of wet hair on my neck," she half-heartedly giggles. The frustration of her inability to do the everyday things is evident in her tone. "Can you please do it for me?"

I nod. "Come sit on the stool."

There's a pause in conversation for the next few minutes as I am completely zoned in on the fact my daughter asked me to do her hair. It's the little moments like this that remind me how incredibly sad I am that I missed out on so much. I don't say that in a 'woe is me' type of way, because it was still my decision even if I was just a year older than Kenzie is now. I knew what I was giving up, I just wasn't aware how much you could miss something you never experienced.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Kenzie breaks the silence with an abrupt question.

"Uh, no. I do not have a boyfriend," I answer, tying a band around the bottom of the first dutch braid.

"Do you like anybody?"

"No, I don't," I giggle. "Do you like anybody?"

"Hm," she thinks about it for a moment, "no, I don't think I do."

"You don't think you do?"

"Nope. Whenever someone gives me a compliment and it makes me smile I convince myself that it's because I have feelings for them, but really it's because nobody ever give's me compliments and the feelings fades after a couple of days," she speaks casually, reaching for the box of tissues that happen to be on the kitchen island.

"Oh, that reminds me. Gracie asked after you today," I chirp up.

"How did that remind you of Gracie? When did you even see her?"

"When I went into the café this morning and you were still having your beauty sleep," I tease lightly, making her chuckle.
"I'm sick, leave me alone. Now answer my first question."

"Right. I just remembered what she...or her sister told you the other day and I thought you might be talking about her," I explain with a shrug.

"Well I wasn't," she speaks defensively, wiping her nose. "I don't even like girls in that way."

"Okay, sweetheart. I'm sorry I assumed. Just so you know, if you ever change your mind about that it is more than okay, okay?" I assure her, praying that nobody has ever told her any different.

"Okay," she mumbles, throwing the dirty tissue into the trash beside the kitchen island as I finish up with the second braid.

"Now, let's get some food in you and watch a movie. Sound good?"

"Yes," she answers with a single nod, "thank you for doing my hair."

"It's my pleasure."

After getting through our dinner and introducing her to 'The Hunger Games' universe, Kenzie allowed me to tuck her into bed as if she was only five years old and it brought me an unfathomable amount of joy. I put her in the guest room thinking she'd want her own space, but I'm proven wrong when the sound of quiet footsteps approach just after I've slipped into my own bed just after eleven o'clock and the weight of her body settles next to mine. It's clear she thinks I'm sleeping due to the fact that not a word comes out of her mouth.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" I'm physically able to feel her body tense at my question.

"Sorry, I thought you were sleeping," she whispers. "That's okay. Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes, I...I just was wondering if I could sleep in here tonight?" The hesitation in obvious.
"Of course you can, come give me a cuddle," I say, opening my arms wide.